Decota McNamara :: Lost and Found

Decota McNamara is a very talented fellow who embodies the life and sound of Nova Scotia. He is a player of many instruments . . . acoustic and electric guitar, banjo, mandolin and the dobro.

His first album, Lost and Found, is a fantastic musical bundle of joy. McNamara wrote and arranged all songs but one (written by Neil Gow) and produced the record with Bryan Melanson in 2011 at Highball Sound Productions.

McNamara is a superb musician, his guitar and banjo playing is tremendous. A voice both masculine and sensitive to match!

Lost and Found opens with ‘The Start of Something New’ which will fill your ears with the most beautiful guitar and banjo. It’s a little bit country, a little bit bluegrass. It’s also an instrumental. . . just stunning.

‘Campfire Song’ suddenly takes the album to an upbeat scale with its bright, summertime sound, even slightly reminding me of Blue Rodeo, who I admire very much.

We can hear his Acadian roots in ‘Les Souliers D’mon Grandpere’; it is fast-paced but haunting at the same time. Definitely a sound much too underrated or not heard enough around the world.

‘This Love’ starts off with a jazzy feel, pristine guitar licks, as usual, and with just the perfect amount of pop.

McNamara arranged and played a song written by Neil Gow ironically titled ‘Neil Gow’s’ which is a squeaky clean alluring instrumental from start to finish. ‘Babtiste’s Song’, meanwhile, is a sweet lullaby joined by heartwarming violins.

But the track I enjoyed most was ‘No Name’, again with the impeccable guitar. Some things are just too beautiful for words . . . your ears must hear this lovely song.